Blood Components

Red blood cells (RBCs), or erythrocytes, give blood its distinctive color. Produced in our bone marrow, they carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies and take carbon dioxide back to our lungs to be exhaled. There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.

• Color: Red
• Shelf Life: Up to 42 days*
• Storage Conditions: Refrigerated
• Key Uses: Trauma, Surgery, Anemia, Any blood loss, Blood disorders, such as sickle cell

Red blood cells are prepared from whole blood by removing the plasma (the liquid portion of the blood). They have a shelf life of up to 42 days, depending on the type of anticoagulant used. They can also be treated and frozen for 10 years or more.

RBCs are used to treat anemia without substantially increasing the patient’s blood volume. Patients who benefit most from transfusion of red blood cells include those with chronic anemia resulting from kidney failure or gastrointestinal bleeding, and those with acute blood loss resulting from trauma. They can also be used to treat blood disorders such as sickle cell disease.

Prestorage Leukocyte-Reduced Red Blood Cells

Leukocyte-reduced RBCs are prepared by removing leukocytes (white blood cells) by filtration shortly after donation. This is done before the RBCs are stored because over time the leukocytes can fragment, deteriorate, and release cytokines, which can trigger negative reactions in the patient who receives them. These reactions can occur during the initial transfusion or during any future transfusions.

Donating Red Blood Cells

The Red Cross calls RBC donations “Power Red.” By donating Power Red, you double your impact by contributing two units of red cells in just one donation.

Learn more about donating Power Red »

 * Shelf life of red cells varies based on the type anticoagulant used.

Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small, colorless cell fragments in our blood whose main function is to stick to the lining of blood vessels and help stop or prevent bleeding. Platelets are made in our bone marrow.

• Color: Colorless
• Shelf Life: 5 days
• Storage Conditions: Room temperature with constant agitation to prevent clumping
  
• Key Uses: Cancer treatments, Organ transplants, Surgery

Platelets can be prepared by using a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma from donated whole blood. Platelets from several different donors are then combined to make one tranfusable unit. Alternately, platelets can be obtained using an apheresis machine which draws blood from the donor’s arm, separates the blood into its components, retains some of the platelets, and returns the remainder of the blood to the donor. Using this process, one donor can contribute about four to six times as many platelets as a unit of platelets obtained from a whole blood donation.

Platelets are stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. They must receive constant gentle agitation to prevent them from clumping.

Platelets are most often used during cancer treatment as well as surgical procedures such as organ transplant, in order to treat a condition called thrombocytopenia, in which there is a shortage of platelets. They are also used to treat platelet function abnormalities.

Donating Platelets

Since platelets must be used within 5 days of donation, there is a constant need for platelet donors. 

Learn more about donating Platelets »

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood; our red and white blood cells and platelets are suspended in plasma as they move throughout our bodies.

• Color: Yellowish
• Shelf Life: 1 year
• Storage Conditions: Frozen
  
• Key Uses: Burn patients, Shock, Bleeding disorders

Blood plasma serves several important functions in our bodies, despite being about 92% water. (Plasma also contains 7% vital proteins such as albumin, gamma globulin and anti-hemophilic factor, and 1% mineral salts, sugars, fats, hormones and vitamins.) It helps us maintain a satisfactory blood pressure and volume, and supplies critical proteins for blood clotting and immunity. It also carries electrolytes such as sodium and potassium to our muscles and helps to maintain a proper pH (acid-base) balance in the body, which is critical to cell function.

Plasma is obtained by separating the liquid portion of blood from the cells. Plasma is frozen within 24 hours of being donated in order to preserve the valuable clotting factors. It is then stored for up to one year, and thawed when needed.

Plasma is commonly transfused to trauma, burn and shock patients, as well as people with severe liver disease or multiple clotting factor deficiencies.

Plasma Derivatives

In some cases, patients need plasma derivatives instead. These are concentrates of specific plasma proteins obtained through a process known as fractionation. The derivatives are treated with heat and/or solvent detergent to kill certain viruses like those that cause HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Plasma derivatives include:

• Factor VIII Concentrate
• Factor IX Concentrate
• Anti-Inhibitor Coagulation Complex (AICC)
• Albumin
• Immune Globulins, including Rh Immune Globulin
• Anti-Thrombin III Concentrate
• Alpha 1-Proteinase Inhibitor Concentrate

Donating AB Plasma

When collecting specifically plasma, the Red Cross is seeking AB-type donors. AB plasma is collected at select Red Cross Donation Centers only.

Learn more about donating AB plasma »

Cryoprecipitated Antihemophilic Factor (Cryo) is a portion of plasma rich in clotting factors, including Factor VIII and fibrinogen. These clotting factors reduce blood loss by helping to slow or stop bleeding due to illness or injury.

• Color: White
• Shelf Life: 1 year
• Storage Conditions: Frozen
  
• Key Uses: Hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease (most common hereditary coagulation abnormality), Rich source of Fibrinogen

Cryo is prepared by freezing and then slowly thawing frozen plasma. The precipitate is collected and then pooled with contributions from other donors to reach a sufficient volume for transfusion. It can be stored, frozen, for up to a year.

Cryo is used to prevent or control bleeding in people whose own blood does not clot properly.  This includes patients with hereditary conditions such as hemophilia and von Willebrands disease. Cryo is also a source of fibrinogen for patients who cannot produce the necessary amount of this important clotting protein on their own.

Donating Cryoprecipitated AHF

Cryo is prepared from donated plasma.

White blood cells, or leukocytes, are one of the body’s defenses against disease: some destroy bacteria and others create antibodies against bacteria and viruses or fight malignant disease. But while our own white cells help us stay healthy, they can be dangerous to someone who receives donated blood. That’s because leukocytes may carry viruses that cause immune suppression and release toxic substances in the recipient. To avoid these negative reactions, leukocytes are often removed from transfusable blood components, a process called leuko-reduction.

Granulocytes

That doesn’t necessarily mean your white cells can’t be used to help patients in need! Granulocytes are a type of white cell that protects against infection by surrounding and destroying invading bacteria and viruses. They can be used to treat infections that don’t respond to antibiotics. Granulocytes are collected by an automated process called apheresis and must be transfused into the patient within 24 hours of being donated.

Donating Granulocytes

Since granulocyte must be used within 24 hours, donations are taken on an as-needed basis. To be eligible to donate granulocytes, you must have donated platelets through the Red Cross within 30 days.

Learn more about donating Platelets »